CMS: hospital charges for common procedures up

(HealthDay)—The prices hospitals charge patients for a number of common procedures rose more than 10 percent between 2011 and 2013, more than twice the rate of inflation, according to data released by the federal government Monday.

During the same period, the prices hospitals charge to Medicare remained about the same, according to The New York Times.

The data provided a look at about $62 billion in Medicare payments to hospitals and more than seven million hospital discharges, and also included information about 950,000 doctors and other health care practitioners who received $90 billion in Medicare payments.

As in previous years, hematologists/oncologists and ophthalmologists were at the top of the list of high earners, The Times reported.